Walkoff Memories: ‘93 Jays reunite for 25th anniversary of World Series win

Toronto Blue Jays’ Joe Carter celebrates as he runs the bases after his game-winning three-run home run to win the World Series in this Oct.23, 1993 file photo at Skydome in Toronto. Even though he was in the home dugout at the time, former Toronto Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston didn’t see Carter hit his famous home run to win the 1993 World Series. (Hans Deryk/The Canadian Press)

Even though he was in the home dugout at the time, former Toronto Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston didn’t see Joe Carter hit his famous home run to win the 1993 World Series.

Gaston had just finished examining his lineup options for who would go to bat after Carter when the slugger turned on a pitch from Philadelphia’s Mitch (Wild Thing) Williams to end the Fall Classic in six games.

“Just as I turned around to put my board down, I turned back around and everybody was jumping in the air,” Gaston said. “I didn’t even see the ball leave the ballpark.”

Carter, Gaston and other members of the ‘93 team shared memories and reminisced Tuesday at a downtown hotel ahead of a 25th anniversary reunion dinner.

Gaston ended up watching the homer later that evening on a replay. The ‘Touch ‘em all, Joe!’ blast gave the Blue Jays an 8-6 win and a second straight World Series title.

Carter said he was expecting a breaking ball on the two-strike pitch.

“He came with a fastball down and in and that’s my happy zone,” Carter said. “That’s the beware zone. So I was able to keep it fair and as they say, the rest is history.”